Senator Natasha’s suspension ruled illegal as court fines her for contempt

Summary

• Court orders the immediate reinstatement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, declaring her suspension unlawful
• Senator Natasha found guilty of contempt over Facebook post and fined ₦5 million
• Civil society remains divided as fresh legal battles continue to trail the senator

Abuja, Nigeria – A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Nigerian Senate to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, describing her six-month suspension as unlawful and unconstitutional.

Justice Binta Nyako ruled on 4 July 2025 that the Senate’s action, which effectively barred the senator from participating in nearly the entire 181-day legislative session, violated due process and deprived her constituents of representation. The suspension, imposed on 6 March 2025, followed allegations that she breached Senate Standing Orders 2023.

In a separate but related ruling on the same day, the court found Senator Natasha guilty of contempt for violating a gag order issued on 4 April 2025. The order had barred all parties from making public comments on the ongoing legal case. However, a satirical Facebook post made by the senator on 7 April, directed at Senate President Godswill Akpabio, was deemed to be in breach.

She was fined ₦5 million and instructed to publish a formal apology in The Guardian, Punch, and on her Facebook page within seven days. The court warned that failure to comply could result in further sanctions.

Senator Natasha’s suspension stemmed from a dispute over seating arrangements during a Senate session on 20 February 2025. The row escalated after she accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office.

Though her initial petition was dismissed on procedural grounds, she later resubmitted it. Following this, her office was sealed, her security withdrawn, and she was barred from the National Assembly complex.

Public reaction remains mixed. While some women’s groups, including the Coalition for Democratic Women in Leadership and the Northern Women Integrity Forum, condemned her conduct as unbecoming and called for a public apology, others, such as the Centre for Transparency Advocacy, have applauded the court’s intervention and urged the Senate to respect the recall order.

Senator Natasha also faces other legal challenges, including ongoing charges of cybercrime and defamation, where she allegedly accused Senate President Akpabio and former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello of attempting to assassinate her. She has been arraigned and granted bail in one of the cases.

As of press time, the senator has yet to publicly respond to the court’s latest rulings.